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7 Quick Ways to Maintain the Value of Your House

08/26/15

Buying a home is a fantastic investment. It begins to build equity the moment you make your first payment. However, a home’s value is only the amount a buyer is willing to pay for it. You never know what may happen in life to necessitate selling your home, which is why it is important to maintain your home to the proper degree to ensure it is always an attractive option for a buyer and a fruitful return on your investment.

Here are 7 quick and easy ways to maintain your home’s value:

1. Keep up with landscaping

The first thing neighbors, guests and potential buyers see is the exterior. This is why curb appeal is something to always maintain when you own a home. Simply keeping the yard cut and your trees and bushes trimmed goes a long way to improve the first impression of your home. Adding bushes and trees to barren areas can really make a yard come alive. Landscaping shows people the type of homeowner you are. It lets people know you truly care about your home. If you keep up the outside, you likely keep up the inside, which is an attractive quality for a buyer.

2. Replace old windows and doors

The next items that can really improve your home’s curb appeal are windows and doors. They are used constantly and are right up against the elements, which makes them susceptible to cracks, warping and other wear and tear. . Since your windows and doors are some of the first items that show age on your home’s exterior, it’s worth it to replace worn out doors and windows every few years to keep your home looking fresh as the day you purchased it.

3. Inspect your roof often

Two words come to mind when a potential buyer sees a home with a shoddy roof: “money pit”. Inspecting your roof often, especially after periods of extreme weather, can go a long way in preserving the value of your home. If a few shingles are knocked off the roof due to some high winds or tree limb, don’t hesitate to replace them--small problems on a roof can lead to major problems later. If your roof begins to look worn down due to its constant exposure to sun and weather conditions, it may be time to replace it for aesthetic, safety, and equity reasons.

4. Repaint Every Few Years

Generally, you’re going to want to repaint the interior of your home every 4-5 years to keep it looking fresh. For your exterior, most paint made specifically for the outside of your home will last about 9-10 years before you need to consider repainting. Painting walls can immediately brighten and upgrade the atmosphere of any room. To keep your home’s value highest, use lighter colors that can be easily painted over by a new owner. Lighter colors also tend to make rooms look bigger and more inviting.

5. Update appliances

Appliances can really make a home seem outdated. They can make potential buyers see replacement and repair costs in their future. Keep your home’s value up, by replacing appliances that are beginning to show signs of breaking down or just look old and dated. Consider timeless colors that go with any kitchen, like black or stainless steel and try to avoid appliances with trendy colors that could look outdated in just a few years’ time. Appliances alone can make your kitchen look and feel new. ENERGYStar appliances can add value to your home by making it more energy efficient. And don’t forget the appliances outside the kitchen, like your washer and dryer, HVAC system and water heater.

6. Have regular pest control

There are nuisances like ants and roaches--and then there are the truly destructive pests like termites and rats. They can cause all kinds of seen and unseen damage to homes that, if gone unchecked, can have serious repercussions on the structural integrity – and value – of your home. Regular pest control can help prevent and mitigate infestations before they happen and possibly save you thousands of dollars in future repairs.

7. All-around cleaning

A clean home will always be more valuable and attractive to a potential buyer. Making sure to clean, fix and replace basic household items, like clogged drains, scratched flooring, and dirty air filters. Doing this can not only cut down on dust and dirt, but make your home look and feel more valuable. Plus, when you clean regularly, you tend to be more aware of problem areas – entry points for pests, cracks in windowsills, etc. It pays in the long run to keep a tidy home.

Follow these 7 tips and your home will always be a valuable asset no matter when you need to sell it. And when you’re ready to sell, contact the expert Maryland real estate agents at the Creig Northrop Team!

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